Great Moments In Deep Fat Frying

[HungryC]

Deep fried turkey: perhaps the pinnacle of deep-fry-itude.

[Hard H2O]

Funny, I just had a funnel cake last Saturday at the Washington County Fair in Lake Elmo, MN.

At the MN State Fair you can get some real nice Scotch eggs.

I had some Arancini and deep fired zuccinni at Festa Italiana in Milwaukee in July.

Deep fried eggplant is fabulous. I favor Japanese eggplant for frying.

[mgaretz]

Probably my best deep-fry moment was when I got latkes to work in the deep-fryer.

FWIW, I love the Emeril/T-Fal deep fryer that automatically drains and filters the oil into it's own container you can refrigerate until next time you fry. Expensive but worth every penny.

[Tri2Cook]

Chadzilla's Fried Egg and Johnny Iuzzini's Chocolate Doughnut are great moments in deep fat frying for me.

[FYYFF]

A New England classic for clams, boneless chicken or onion rings:

Soak in evaporated milk, dip into corn flour (not corn meal) and fry. Damn good.

[pax]

Probably my best deep-fry moment was when I got latkes to work in the deep-fryer. 

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Would you tell us a little bit more about this?

[mgaretz]

Probably my best deep-fry moment was when I got latkes to work in the deep-fryer. 

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Would you tell us a little bit more about this?

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Here is the short version:

I took my basic latke recipe (which uses shredded potatoes similar to hash browns - in fact I actually use frozen hash browns) and added some more potato flour/starch as extra binder (in addition to the normal eggs). Then I formed the latkes into patties on a non-stick sheet pan and froze them. Once they're frozen, remove from the sheet pan, bag and keep frozen until ready to use.

To use, deep fry at 375F or so, straight from the freezer, until they are deep golden brown.

From memory, the latke recipe was:

1 bag frozen hash browns (just under 3 lbs if I recall)

1 egg

2 medium yellow onions, minced in the food processor

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sea salt

1-2 tbs potato flour

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly mixed. No need to defrost the hash browns. Proceed as above.

Edited August 9, 2009 by mgaretz (log)

[rlibkind]

And I once sat in on a Chinese-style cooking demonstration where one dish was, basically, green beans deep-fried in a wok till they were wrinkly and slightly browned. They were removed from the oil and drained. Most of the oil was poured out of the wok at that point, and a spicy sauce with a bit of ground pork was constructed in that same wok. The beans were tossed back in at the last moment. It was tasty!

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That is a classic. It's even better when you briefly fry dried Chinese red peppers (be careful and quick, the noxious odors emitted when they start to blacken are overpowering) first, then stir-fry those with the ground pork. Bring on the beer!

Edited August 9, 2009 by rlibkind (log)

[bearbones11]

A sushi chef once asked me if I wanted the heads of the prawns I just ate... in response to my blank stare, he held up his hand, said, "Try this," and proceeded to deep-fry the heads. Turns out, they were a whole lot tastier than the deep fried mealworms my entomology professor served...

[DanM]

And there is the Greatest Sushi South of the Mason Dixon (or the vegetarian alternative) at Miya's Sushi here in New Haven.

fried catfish n’ okra, grits n’ rice, american style cheddar cheese, spring onions, parsley n’ spice - fried crispy, green tomato like, in cornmeal. this dish pairs perfectly with jazz.

1 piece of dixieland one hit wonder

Dan

[Blether]

A new one on me recently - I noticed egg yolk on the tempura menu at Tsunahachi in Shinjuku. It came out looking like a big, pale, demented spider, but yes, still soft & creamy and they'd gone to the trouble of sourcing eggs with real flavour. Mmm.

I can't pass by deep frying without also mentioning onion pakora / onion bhaji. So easy & so good.

[syoung68]

The latest from Texas - Deep Fried Butter

http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/03/deep-fried-butter-to-hit-texas-state-fair/

[Fresser]

From the Homer Simpson Kitchens, we present deep-fried butter.

[mizducky]

I have fallen in love with karaage, and have decided that's what chicken nuggets dream of becoming when they are reincarnated with superior karma.

Edited October 19, 2009 by mizducky (log)

[pastameshugana]

The Indian chili bhaji is out of sight - the batter is (here in Bangalore, different everywhere you go) like a dosa batter (rice and dal). Any kind of small slender chili, battered and fried quick. Quite a treat. We got an old housekeeper to buy some bigger chilies, stuff 'em with cheese and called them 'Indian Relleno'!

Speaking of - I just ordered a deep fryer - can't wait!

[Beebs]

Taiwanese fried chicken nuggets are so delicious, I could eat 5 pounds in one sitting. They're little chunks of boneless chicken thight that's been coated in some kind of seasoned rice flour and/or starch (I think). The coating is fluffier and lighter than karaage or American fried chicken, fried with chili peppers and basil. Best part is the crispy pieces of skin.

There's a Chinese restaurant here that specializes in a spicy fried fish (sole). Pieces of fish with the skin attached, floured, then fried. Garnished with piles of chopped fried garlic, shallots, and chilis. They also take the fish bone with the head & tail attached, flour and fry the whole thing, crispy enough to eat the bones.

[rooftop1000]

Deep Fried New Years Eve...I planned this event 3 years ago and we got an Ice storm and had 40 mph winds by evening. Since I was working at the time I couldn't roast the turkey and had to run to the store for food that I could cook after work (sausage and peppers etc)...2 people showed up

This year we got a blizzard that has covered our "party parking" aka the front lawn, but we will persist.

The Menu so far includes -

a 12 pound turkey

Yucca

Onions

Sweet potatoes

white potatoes

cocktail franks wrapped in wonton skins

mini corn dogs

asst soft veg in tempura batter

churros

plantains

gougiers?

salt cod fritters

any other suggestions for fried items and or dipping sauces?

tracey

[chileheadmike]

A few friends and I were cooking in a barbecue competition in Kansas City a few years ago.

One of them brought along their turkey fryer for fried pickles.

Things got a little out of control and everything from twinkies to battered barbecued ribs went into the thing.

I don't think I would ever do fried ribs again but the one hit was battered and fried ABT's (Hollowed out jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, and a little smokie, then wrapped in bacon and smoked for about an hour and a half). These were truly addictive.

[Emily_R]

One of the yummiest things I've had fried is very thin lemon slices. Thinly sliced lemons, dredged in heavily seasoned flour, and fried until crispy. Makes the most amazing topping for a fried fish sandwich.

[JAZ]

Tracey, the only thing I can see is that you have both mini-corn dogs, and cocktail franks in wonton skins, which seem similar. If I were you, I'd do something else in the wonton skins. Crab rangoon comes to mind, but you could also use the wonton skins as pasta and do fried ravioli.

[rooftop1000]

Thanks for the reminders...Pickles and lemons, it was so strange I couldn't find a single jar of "hamburger chips" pickles at the store yesterday.

any good dips, other than doctored up ranch dressing?

And If I wanted to make an infusion for injecting the turkey what is the best medium - butter, chicken fat, or broth? I want to let it sit with some Jamaican Jerk paste and then strain

T

[rebgold]

Deep fried hamburgers are really good, season heavily and mix it all up before forming into a patty.

Those lemon slices are one of the more interesting things I've heard of lately, definitely going to try that!

[jsmeeker]

What are you gonna fry up on New Years Day? I say whip of some pate a choux and make donuts.

[judiu]

Thanks for the reminders...Pickles and lemons, it was so strange I couldn't find a single jar of "hamburger chips" pickles at the store yesterday.

any good dips, other than doctored up ranch dressing?

T

Maybe limes, cut into fine slices like the lemons? Gussied up 1000 Island Dressing, tartar sauce, Chinese flavors with a sweet-sour edge, or a sesame oil, soy sauce, (hot spicy) something, tamed by a bit of Mayo, honey mustard, regular (or designer) mustard with a lot of minced garlic; mustard and apricot preserves mixed, mayo with minced onion and sweet relish for the hot dogs, etc. HTH!

[rooftop1000]

I actually have a lot more hodogs than wonton skins so....oh don't let my husband see the words crab rangoon LOL

T